NAGPUR: Slamming the Nagpur Municipal Corporation's (NMC) administration for making use of aiwajdars (sanitary workers) as drivers, the Nagpur Mahanagar Palika Aiwajdar Kamgar Sanghatana has alleged the practice was against labour laws and demanded an enquiry.

Sanghatana president Jammu Anand said the NMC administration was engaged in many such violations for the last many years. "It is shocking that violations are carried on by one of the state employers who actually should be a model employer. The union has been raising various issues related to the daily wage and permanent employees. Even the assistant labour commissioner brought such violations to the notice of civic chief a few years ago. But the NMC, which is headed by an IAS official, is continuing with them. The union strongly requests the municipal commissioner that he must implement the various laws meant for workers," he said.

It has come to fore that six drivers who are permanent employees of the NMC are not given any work. A union leader told TOI that these permanent drivers are asked to drive the vehicles only when aiwajdars go on leave. "Posting of all drivers is handled by the office bearers who too are not ready to have their vehicles driven by permanent NMC drivers but demand aiwajdars as drivers," he said.